Type-slug-casting machine and products



Jan. 22, 1924,

A. G. STEVENSON TYPE SLUG CASTING MACHINE AND PRODUCTS Filed Feb. l0 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 8 4z-Zd&ze@6@@ Jane 22, Q

- A. G. STEVENSON TYPE SLI JG CASTING MACHINE AND PRODUCTS Filed Feb. 10. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet s lgzheas 66 Jan. 22, 1924. 1,481,442

A. G. STEVENSON TYPE SLUG CASTING MACHINE AND PRODUCTS Filed Feb- 10 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet J3 A a Patented Jan. 22, 1924.

ASHTON G. STEVENSUN, @F CHICAGO,

TYPE-SLUG-CASTING MACHINE AND 'PRODUCTS.

Application filed February 10, 1921. Serial 30.448564.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, AsH'roN G. STEVEN- SON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Slug- Casting Machines and Products, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for producing printers type slugs or type bars and has special reference to attachments or appurtenances for use on what is commonly known as linotype and similar type bar casting machines, whereby printing slugs can be cast by the use of matrices other than those for which the machine is designed and adapted toproduce printing slugs having faces much wider than the bodies of the slugs, in other words much wider than the width of the mold slot in which the bodies ofthe slugs are cast.

A. particularly valuable feature of my invention is that it broadens the. usefulness of the standard linotype machines by making them capable ofproducing printing slugs for printing display headlines, which heretofore have required the installation of.

special machines.

To arrange a standard linotype machine so that wide faced type slugs can be cast, in accordance with my invention, requires merely the substitution of what is known as a low mold for the standard height mold and then the withdrawal or lifting out of the way of what is known as the first elevator, and the introduction between the jaws of a solid or rigid holder or frame in which the matrices for producing the wide-faced printing slugs to be cast have previously been assembled and locked.

I preferably place in the machine a support having a shelf upon which this rigid frame is set between the vise jaws and pro-' vidingi a suitable backing by which the frame and the matrices are firmly held and backed up when the mold wheel is moved forward to press the mold against the matrices for the casting operation.

' At the present time it is quite usual to install on the mold wheel of standard linotype machines which carry four molds, one mold which is lower than the rest by practically one-sixth of an inch. All of the changes for casting the wide-faced slugs to which this invention particularly relates,

and for placing the machine back again in normal slug-casting condition occupies less than a minute after the substitution, if such is'necessary, of the low mold for the standard mold, and requires or necessitates no'alterat'ion of the several fine adjustments which it is necessary to preserve in such machines for accurate work.

My invention contemplates certain automatic registering features by which the line of matrices in the ri 'd holder shall be accurately registered with the mold slot.

A further feature relates to the roduction on the mold face of a continuation of the matrix contacting surface of the mold cap so that very wide faced rinting slugs can be cast, having the body of the slug arranged beneath one lateral edge thereof and means for setting the holder on the shelf so that the lower sides of the letter matrices, openings or recesses shall be accurately aligned or registered with the lower side or bottom the art there is in quite general use a system of producing type furniture or quad material on linotype and similar slug-casting machines, which involves the use of a socalled low mold, which is about one-sixth of an inch lower than the standard mold. Such a low mold is disclosed inmy patent of the United States, No. 1,260,828.

This present invention makes use of such a low mold in connection with matrices having letter or matrix recesses deep enough to make up for the amount that the mold is less than standard height, which, in the matrices and mold involved is substantially one-sixth of an inch.

My invention will be more readily under stood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a fra mentary front elevation of a mold wheel an vise slot equipped with the back of the mold can be arranged to produce a: printing slug of standard height; in other words the mold from front to back, thatis, from the, surface 14 to the surface 15 marked A in Fig. 6,; is reduced in dimension below the standard dimension by the amount of the depth of the recess 20,

which is greater than the depth of the ordinary standard matrix, that is, substantially one-sixth of an inch. It will also be under stood from Figures 4, 5 and 6 thatwh'en such a line of matrices is held in position before the mold and in proper relation to the mold slot, a wide facedv slug can be produced in accordance with the widthof the recesses in' the several matrices, and that the body of the slug 22 will be determined by the dimensions of the mold slot 9, and that the under side 23- of the over hanging part 24 of the slug will be produced by the front face 15 of. the mold, and will thus be a definite height above the bottom 25 of the slug 22.

In the construction or form of vise jaws 4 and 5, which are commonly employed,

; there is provided a horizontal supporting surface 26 arranged about five-eighths of an inch belqw the bottom surface 16 of the mold slot and I make use of this wall or surface for supporting the matrix holding and clamping devices which I employ for properly positioning matrices 19 in relation to the mold slot 9. These devices consist of a supporting or backing block or member which is adapted to be supported on the two-vise jaws 4 and 5, the vise jaws having been separated substantially to their full extent before this member is placed in position, this member having a plain forward face 28 which cdntacts with the rear edges of the matrices and this block being backed up or held rigidly in the vise block 2. It serves in turn to back upor hold rigidly the matrices when, in the casting operation, the mold wheel with its mold, is moved forward into pressure contact with the faces "of the matrices so as to prevent the escape of the liquid metal between the forward face of the mold and the contacting faces of the matrices.

- I provide this block 27 with a forwardly extending shelf 29at its lower end which extends substantially the full length of the.

block, and upon which 1 position or mount a rigid frame 30, which is adapted to receive, clamp and hold the matrices in an andholding the assembled line for placement before and in contact with the mold. The frame 30 is rectangular in shape, having a top bar 31,

a bottom bar 32 and end connecting bars 33 and 34 providing a longitudinal slot or opening 35 for the reception of the matrices 19. The matrices 19 are entered into the frame 30 at a height to cause the lower edge of thematrix openings 20 to register.

accurately with the lower or bottom 16 of the mold slot 9, I arrange means for setting the frame 30 at the right height above the shelf 29. In the form illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 this means consists of a horizontal plate 39 upon which the frame 30 sets and the forward edge 40 of which extends forwardly from the face 38 of the frame and is adapted to enter into a horizontal slot or groove 41 in the face of the base of the mold, which slot is arranged parallel with the mold slot and extends substantially the length of the base. The upper wall 42 of the slot 41 is accurately in' parallelism with the bottom wall 16 ofthe mold slot, and I provide means for forcing the plate 39 upwardly into contact with the upper wall 42, whereby the top supporting surface of this plate is set accurately in relation to the mold slot and the'lower bar 32 of the frame, together with the size of the matrices, is so arranged that when the plate 39 is in tight contact with the upper wall 42 of the slot 40 the matrices are accurately registered with the mold slot, the lower walls of the recesses 20 being in ac. curate registry with the lower wall of the mold slot as shown inthe several figures. For automatically forcing this plate 39 into such tight contact with the upper wall 42 of the groove 40, I provide an automatic wedging device below the plate supported on the shelf 29. v

For this purpose I make the upper surface 43 of the shelf 29 inclined upwardly and rearwardly and I provide a wedging member 44 supported onthis shelf and having an upper horizontal surface 45 upon which the plate 39 rests. This-wedging member 44 normally rests at the lower .limitof its movement on the inclined surface 43, vbeing limited in back and forth movement by guide pins 46 which are rigid with the plate 39 and extend downwardly through thewedging member 44 and the shelf 29, the wedging member being properly slotted to permit its back and forth movement. For ushing the wedge rearwardly or up "the'indline tov lift the plate 39, I provide push pins 47, one near each end of the wedge and extending horizontally through the wedge, the outer ends of these pins being adapted to contact with the face of the mold as the mold approaches the matrix holding device and to push the pins back through the wedge. The wedge is provided with suitable openings 48 surrounding the pins 47 for containing com ression springs 49, which .are adapted to e compressed rearwardly by collars 50 rigid with the pins 47. This arrangement permits the pins to be pushed clear into the wedge and to provide a wedging pressure on the wed e to force the wedge rearwardly and u ward yon the inclined surface 43 and lift t e plate 39. The springs 49 bear against the rear surface of the openings 44 in the wedge block and thus produce the wedging pressure. If the plate 39 contacts properly with the upper wall of the groove 40 before the mold properly contacts with the matrices, further movement of the mold toward the matrices simply further compresses the springs, the pins being yieldingly permitted to recede into the wedging bloc For properly positioning the lines of matrices which have wider .recesses than those shown in Figure 4, I provide suitable removable fillers or liners 51 of roper dimensions for lifting the frame su ciently to cause the lower sides of these wider recesses to register with the lower wall 16 of the mold slot 9 as best shown in Figure 5.

In l itgure 12 I have shown another simple means of causing the recesses in the line of matrices to properly register with the mold slot. This means consists of vertically adjustable screws 29 having their lower ends projecting from the lower ends of the end bars 33 and 34, of the frame 30 and adapted to be adjusted in height relatively to the frame and their lower ends adapted to contact with the shelf 29' which takes the place of the wedging shelf 29 hereinhefore described. It is obvious that the shelf 29 need not have a wedging surface and the screws 29" can be adjusted sufficiently to properly register matrices having difierent dimensions of recesses. These screws 29" are adapted to be locked in place by suitable set screws 52. For the purpose of casting slugs having exceedingly wide faces, as shown at 54, Fig

ure 6, I provide a filler bar 55 for extending the front face 15 of the mold upwardly a sufiicient distanceso that the upper part of the matrices may be closed tightly upon the mold. In Figure 6 I have illustrated the matrices 56 having exceedingly wide recesses which extend above the narrow lip or ed e 57 Which'is commonly produced upon. t e caps of such molds. The bar 55 fills in between the forward surface 58 of the cap above the projection 57 and the adjacent face of the matrices. The wide face 54: of the nea slu extends over and beyond the lower edge of t e bar 55. For holding this bar in place on the cap I provide downwardly extending projections 59 at its ends. These projections 59 are thick enough to make up for the reduction in thickness of the mold and are secured to the liner by screws 60.

' For properly re istering the frame 30 with the blocks 27 the forward face of the block is provided with vertical slots or guide grooves 61 at its ends and the frame is provided with vertical bars 62 which slide down in the vertical slots and fit therein, and the dorward face of the frame 30, that is the face whichcontacts with the mold, is provided with vertical flat bars 63 at its ends, of even thickness with the projections 59 at the ends of the filler bar 55, these bars-63 close the ends of the mold slot as best shown in Figure 3, to'prevent the escape of the hot metal at these points. It is obvious that in place of the projection 59 on the tiller bar 55, separate projections or plates could be used when it is not desired to use the filler bar 55 and between which the bars 63 are placed to place the matrix frame endwise in relation to the mold slot.

For locking the line of matrices in the holder frame I provide a simple wedging device comprisirw a wedge 64 (see Figure 11) at one end or the matrix slot 35 which presents an inclined surface 65 toward the line of matrices, and is carried b a vertical screw 63 extending upwardly t rough the upper bar 31 of the holder frame and provi ed on its upper end with a thumb nut 67 by which the wedge can be drawn upwardly to tighten the matrices in the holder. Between the wedge 64 and the matrices 1 provide a complementary wedge block 68 provided with an inclined surface 69 at the same angle as the wedging surface of the wedge block 54 and with an opposite surface 70 which is arranged vertically in the holder or at right angles to the top and bottom bars of the holder, and adapted to contact witha line of matrices and all at the same angle,

asbest shown in said figures. In making my wedging block 64 and the 'co-operati'ng block 68, I make the inclined 0r wedging surfaces thereof on the same angle as the angle which is used in producing the italic matrices 71, and when it is desired to bind a line of the inclined matrices 71 in the holder, 1 place the block 68 at the opposite end of the slot 35 of the holder and arrange menses the line of matrices between the opposed inclinedsurfaces 59 and 65 of the co-opera-ting block 68 and the wedge 64:, and I am thereby enabled to firmly and tightly clamp the line of inclined matrices in the holder by drawing the wedge 64 upwardly by means of the screw 66 as in the former instance. 7

Having equipped a mold wheel with one of the low or furniture molds it will now be apparent that in order to change or adjust the machine for casting these wide faced printing slugs by the use of matrices such as have been described, it is only necessary to take the elevator of the machine out of the way to drop the backing block 27 into position and having assembled the matrices in the holder 30 for producing the line desired, to place this in position in the machine on V the shelf 29 and to close the mold against the opposed edges of the line of matrices taking care, of course, to arrange liners below the same if such be necessary in order to cause the lower edges of the recesses of the matrices to properly register with the lower wall of the mold slot! The depth of the furniture mold is made a standard'of .759 inches in order that electrotype plates which are .159 inches will be supported with their printing surfaces at a height of .918 from the base when placed on such furniture, this being the standard printing height of printing type and linoard furniture mold for adding .006. of an type slugs and such like printing material.

In order to be able toproduce suitable slugs dr quad supports for the overhanging printing slugs produced by the matrices illustrated and which have a standard'ma trix depth of recess of .153 inches. I provide means in combination with my stand-- inch to the height of furniture. This 1 accomplish by providing slides which are known as matrix slides for closing the mouth of the mold slot which slides are recessed to a depth of .006 of an inch so that when these slides are used for roducing furniture, the height of the rniture is .765 inches instead of .759 inches and when the overhanging parts which are .153 inches thick are supported on this special furniture p their printing faces are held at the standard height of .918'inches above the'base. This results in a very important advantage in the production of such overhanging printing slugs, viz: the separation or lifting up of t e s w s .of the lower edge of the bodies of from the supporting plate or in other words above the bottom ofthe supporting furniture.

As best illustrated in Fi res 20 and 22 inclusive, the pot mouth 12 is provided with pot mouth 12 between the holes 72. When a slug is cast the type metal produces small protuberances on the bottom edge 25 of the slug as the metal solidifies to some extent in the discharge holes 72 and the metal usually fills the air discharge grooves 73 forming slight transverse ribs on the bottom edge 74 of the slugs. It is necessary to take off these ribs and protuberances so as to make the slug perfect. This trimming or cutting is commonly accomplished by means of a knife in. the casting machine which contacts with the bottom of the slu It has been my experience that this kni e is not apt to e well taken care of as it is back in the machine and is not'readily removable-for sharpening, with the result that thetrimming operation is not usually perfectly accomplished. At other times, the

slug, under the trimming operation, the

knife being dull, is pushed forwardly or partly out of the slug mold with the result produces the vertical portion of the print-' ing' slug, and which provides a space below the edge 25 of the printing slugs when they are assembled in the printing form of .006 of each inch so that in such assembly of these members the overhanging 'rinting parts of these slugs may rest firmly down upon the upper surfaces of the extra height supporting slugs and with their printing surfaces in the printing plane of the printing form of which they form a part.

The recessed slidh is illustrated at 82 held in a slide block 83 and provided with a shallow recess 84 in its face: which is presented to the mold slot.

In Figures 13' to 19 inclusive I have illustrated another wedging means for looking the matrices 19 in the rigid holder. In this form of my device ll provide a rigid holder similar to the holder '30 but with ends which are much thinner as I eliminate the vertically adjusted wedge with its screw adjustment and substitute two wedges '76 and 7? which are adapted to be placed in wedging engagement by a relative horizontal rather than a relative vertical movement. In vertical section, as best shown Figures 15 and 18, the wedges are similar in'section to the shape of the matrices 19 and are adapted to be placed wholly within the T shaped opening provided for the matrices in the holder 75. The reduction of the end parts of the holder results in lit a longer space for containing matrices and consequently in a longer Jossible printing slug. The wedges 76 end '2 are entered into the opening in the holder between the line of matrices l9 and one end of the frame 75 and in order that the wedges maybe entered wholly into the frame so that they will not project to prevent the support 27 properly holding the matrices against the mold, I provide a yielding abutment in the form-of a spring member 7 8 which as shown I preferably arrange centrally of .tEe line of matrices in vertical position at the end of the frame 75 and secured at. its upper and lower ends to the top and lower bars of the frame: The middle part of this member is bowed or sprung inwardly toward the wedges and as? the wedge is pushed in to tighten the line of matrices in the holder the spring yields back sufiiciently to permit the Wedge to be-pushed clear in The force of the spring is s'uilicient, even tho it may not be sprung clear back, to firmly hold the line of matrices, To facilitate the entrance of the thin edge 79 of the wedge 7? between the thin edge 80 of the wedge 76 and the next adjacent matrix 19 I taper oil the edge 80 as shown at 81 'toprovide an open creek: to receive the entering edge -87 of the wedge 77 This holder T5 is adapted to be held on e support 27 sirnilerto that already demribed and to be likewise registered with the mold slot.

it will now be apparent that the devices which I make use of to thus extend and to widen the capacity and usefulness of the line casting machines are extremely simple in themselves, that they do not require the readjustment of the several parts of the machine which oftentimes occupies considerable time, and that it is only necessary as explained above, to remove one art of the machine which is readily removed and piece in position two main perts of the device.)

As it is obvious that many modifications of my invention will readily suggest thenr selves to one skilled in the art I do not limit or confine my invention to the specific degabove the lower memes part extending on one side thereof, in combination with a supporting slug adapted to receive the overhanging part of the printing slug and of such relative height that the lower edge of the printing slug is maintained surface of the supporting slug.

2. A printing slug having an overhanging printing surface, in combination with'a supporting slug adaptedto be arranged beneath same, the relative height of the supporting slug andthe body of the printing slug being such that the lower edge of the body is lifted clear of the surface upon which the supporting'slug rests. o

3. A printing slu havingan overhanging upper part in com inetion with a supporting slug of such relative height that the printing surface of the printing slug is maintainedat standard printing height and the lower edge of itsbody is maintained clear of the support upon which the supporting slug rests.

4. A printin slug having an overhanging part and a b v having perallel sides, the

total height of the printing slug being slightly less'than standard printing height,

in combination with a supporting slug adapted to be arranged beneath overhanging part of the printing slug and to hold the body of the printing slug above the support upon which the supporting slug rests.

5. A printing slug having a relatively thin body part and a top laterally extending portion adapted to restupon e quadblochthe body portion of the slug being of less height than the quad block upon which the slug is adapted to rest.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 'zei day of February, -192L ASHTON G. STEVENSQN. 

